Crossley Mill Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/11/2004 Inspector Name Marilyn Ashley

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Crossley Mill Children's Centre Setting Address New Road Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire HX7 8AD

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Hebden Bridge Nursery Action Group

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Hebden Bridge Nursery Action Group Address Crossley Mill Childrens Centre New Road Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire HX7 8AD

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Crossley Mill Children's Centre opened in its present premises in January 1998. It is managed by the Hebden Bridge Nursery Action Group (NAG), an organisation formed in 1985 by a group of parents who identified the need for quality childcare provision in this part of the Upper Valley. The nursery is based in a converted mill and has been refurbished to a good standard. It is situated alongside Rochdale canal just outside the centre of Hebden Bridge. The outdoor play area is adjacent to the side of the building and has a soft surface and wooden climbing frames. The lower level play area remains a hard surface. The whole of the outdoor area has been made secure with high fencing and locked gates. The outdoor play equipment is stored in the locked cellar. The funded children are accommodated in one upstairs room. There are currently 82 children from 0-5 years on roll of which 9 are funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery opens five days a week all

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Information about the setting

year round except bank holidays and Christmas. Sessions are from 7:30-18:00. The nursery employs 14 staff. Of these 7 staff, including the manager, hold an appropriate early years qualification. There are 6 staff working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from an advisory teacher from the local authority and has retained the Investors in People award.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Crossley Mill Children's Centre provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for personal, social and emotional development enables them to make very good progress. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff manage children's behaviour well and are supportive of their needs. They are well deployed, know the children well and interact sensitively in their play. Staff plan a wide range of activities but do not exploit opportunities for children to write for a purpose and explore numbers sufficiently. The indoor area is being developed to provide an interesting environment and to foster children's independence. The outdoor area is used extensively to develop children's physical skills, but less effectively to extend the indoor learning environment, such as role play, to the outdoors. Through training and support the staff are extending their knowledge of the

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How effective is the nursery education?

curriculum and the planning and observation of children's learning, linked to the stepping stones and early learning goals, to ensure the progress and challenge of all children. Leadership and management of the nursery is generally good. The setting engenders an inclusive ethos where parents, staff and children are valued. The management board is very supportive, particularly through staff training and development. The manager and staff are committed to the development of the setting. The manager, with support, is developing the monitoring and evaluation of the nursery education. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Warm relationships are formed and staff are supportive of parents' changing needs. Parents are well informed on all aspects of the nursery. Information on children's progress is shared formally and informally, but parents understanding of the early learning goals and

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How effective is the nursery education?

their involvement in their children's learning and development is insufficient.

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What is being done well?

• Children's confidence and self esteem is fostered by staff who value and respect them. The staff are responsive to children's individual needs, have high expectations of their behaviour and are good role models. Children behave well and are becoming sensitive to the needs of others. • Warm relationships are fostered with parents and carers. Staff are approachable, flexible and responsive to changing needs. Parents and carers are supportive of the staff and setting. • Children are becoming confident to share their ideas with adults and with

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 each other. They enjoy stories, rhymes and songs and exploring print. • Children explore a range of materials and express themselves freely in art, music, movement and dance.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities to write for a purpose and to explore numbers • role play opportunities • the outdoor area as an extension of the indoor learning environment • the monitoring and evaluation of the nursery education • the planning of the curriculum to meet children's individual needs.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are interested in new experiences. They are becoming confident through supportive staff who value and respect their individual needs. Children are encouraged to be independent, are beginning to select their own resources and take care of their own personal needs such as eating and hygiene. They are beginning to behave well, share and take turns and are becoming sensitive to the needs of others. Children form warm relationships with staff and other children and help each other readily.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy stories, songs and rhymes respond well, predict and join in readily. They are beginning to interact and share ideas with adults and each other. They play imaginatively in the sand, water and home. Children know print carries meaning and handle books carefully. Some children are beginning to form recognisable letters and some can write their own names. They make books together, but opportunities to write for a purpose in everyday play situations are not exploited sufficiently.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy number rhymes and songs. They are beginning to use mathematical language in their play such as big and small. They explore shapes, sort and compare and are beginning to recreate simple patterns. They find out about size and quantity through baking and in sand and water play. Some children are beginning to count reliably to 5 and beyond, but opportunities, both indoors and out, to explore numbers and solve problems in everyday play situations and routines are missed.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children find out about living things and the changes in the seasons, but this is not extended to investigating how things work and why things happen. They explore a wide range of construction sets and are beginning to build and join with confidence. Children are encouraged to share significant things that have happened to them and their families. They explore the local environment and find out about its many features. They are becoming aware of different cultures and beliefs.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are beginning to handle tools and malleable materials with increasing control. They are beginning to show an awareness of their own needs such as eating and hygiene. Children play out in all weathers and are beginning to use a range of small equipment with increasing skill. They experience a range of activities, but this is not extended to include opportunities to climb and balance. Opportunities for children to extend indoor learning to the outdoors are not exploited sufficiently.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore a wide range of materials such as collage and charcoal. They express themselves freely in art through paintings and drawings of themselves and their toys. They enjoy a range of music and movement and dancing with scarves. Children respond to experiences, such as clay, using all their senses. They use their imaginations in the home bay and in sand play but opportunities to extend their learning through role play, both indoors and out, are not exploited sufficiently.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• further develop the observation, planning and recording of children's learning, linked to the stepping stones and early learning goals, to ensure the individual progress of all children and the challenge of the more able • extend the opportunities for children to write for a purpose and explore numbers in everyday, play situations and routines • further develop the monitoring and evaluation of the nursery education through advice, support and training • extend children's learning opportunities in the outdoor area, as an extension of the indoor learning environment, and through role play.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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